Oriental Orthodox Churches | |
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Classification | Non-Chalcedonian |
Orientation | Eastern Christianity |
Theology | Miaphysitism |
Polity | Episcopal |
Structure | Communion |
Language | Coptic, Classical Syriac, Ge'ez, Armenian, Malayalam, Koine Greek, local languages |
Liturgy | Alexandrian, West Syriac and Armenian |
Founder | Jesus Christ, according to sacred tradition |
Separated from | Roman state Church |
Members | 50 million |
Other name(s) | Oriental Orthodoxy, Miaphysite churches, Oriental Orthodox Communion |
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The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology,[1][2] with approximately 50 million members worldwide.[3][4] The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to the Nicene Christian tradition. Oriental Orthodoxy is one of the oldest branches in Christianity.[5]
As some of the oldest religious institutions in the world, the Oriental Orthodox Churches have played a prominent role in the history and culture of Armenia, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Western Asia and the Malabar region of India. As autocephalous churches, their bishops are equal by virtue of episcopal ordination. Their doctrines recognize the validity of only the first three ecumenical councils.[6][1]
The Oriental Orthodox Churches includes a number of autocephalous national churches, namely the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch along with its constituent autonomous Malankara Syrian Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, comprising the Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin and the Catholicosate of Cilicia, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The Oriental Orthodox Communion is led by its Standing Conference in which six churches are constituent members: the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Malankara Syrian Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church.[7] The Malabar Independent Syrian Church based in India and the British Orthodox Church in the UK are notable independent Oriental Orthodox churches.[8] They consider themselves to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission, and that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles. Three rites are practiced by the churches: the western-influenced Armenian Rite, the West Syriac Rite of the Syriac Church and the Malankara Syrian Church of India, and the Alexandrian Rite of the Copts, Ethiopians and Eritreans.
Oriental Orthodox Churches shared communion with the imperial Roman church before the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, and with the Church of the East until the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, separating primarily over differences in Christology.
The majority of Oriental Orthodox Christians live in Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, Syria, Turkey and Armenia, with smaller Syriac communities in Western Asia decreasing due to persecution.[unreliable source?] There are also many in other parts of the world, formed through diaspora, conversions, and missionary activity.
Today these churches are also referred to as the Oriental Orthodox Churches and are made up of 50 million Christians.
Oriental Orthodoxy has separate self-governing jurisdictions in Ethiopia, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Armenia and Syria, and it accounts for roughly 20% of the worldwide Orthodox population.